Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What do you do when you get your dream job and it’s not as fulfilling as you thought it would be? Ricki Cook speaks with Alexis and Kevin about navigating between career achievement and personal satisfaction. Ricki discusses his transition from traditional network architecture to touring systems engineering, the realities of maintaining real-time networks under pressure, and why prioritizing mental health is essential for long-term sustainability.
Ricki was also a long-time audio editor for multiple Packet Pushers podcasts; his audio fingerprints can be found throughout the catalog.
AdSpot Sponsor: Meter
Most IT teams are managing networks stitched together from years of acquisitions and vendor contracts and nobody's accountable when something breaks. Meter delivers the complete network: hardware, software, and services delivered as a predictable subscription. Upgrade credits, a fully managed install and deployment, and 24/7 support make the transition easy. Companies like Lyft, Mr. Beast, and Bridgewater have already made the switch. Go to meter.com/liu to book a demo.
Links:
Ricki Cook on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/ricki-cook-99792029
Ricki Cook on Instagram - instagram.com/rickicook
Clair Global Careers - clairglobal.com/careers
Life In Uptime is a part of the Packet Pushers network. Visit our website to find more great networking and technology podcasts, along with tutorial videos, the Human Infrastructure newsletter, and loads more resources for building your IT career. packetpushers.net
What do you do when you get your dream job and it’s not as fulfilling as you thought it would be? Ricki Cook speaks with Alexis and Kevin about navigating between career achievement and personal satisfaction. Ricki discusses his transition from traditional network architecture to touring systems engineering, the realities of maintaining real-time networks under pressure, and why prioritizing mental health is essential for long-term sustainability.
Ricki was also a long-time audio editor for multiple Packet Pushers podcasts; his audio fingerprints can be found throughout the catalog.
AdSpot Sponsor: Meter
Most IT teams are managing networks stitched together from years of acquisitions and vendor contracts and nobody's accountable when something breaks. Meter delivers the complete network: hardware, software, and services delivered as a predictable subscription. Upgrade credits, a fully managed install and deployment, and 24/7 support make the transition easy. Companies like Lyft, Mr. Beast, and Bridgewater have already made the switch. Go to meter.com/liu to book a demo.
Links:
Ricki Cook on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/ricki-cook-99792029
Ricki Cook on Instagram - instagram.com/rickicook
Clair Global Careers - clairglobal.com/careers
Life In Uptime is a part of the Packet Pushers network. Visit our website to find more great networking and technology podcasts, along with tutorial videos, the Human Infrastructure newsletter, and loads more resources for building your IT career. packetpushers.net
